Vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) windows typically consist of two or more glass panes with an evacuated space there between. The evacuated space enhances thermal and noise insulating properties of the window, as compared to ordinary glass windows. Spacers are typically placed between the glass panes of such windows to maintain the aforementioned spacing. The spacers are typically discrete elements disposed and fixed between the glass panes and can be made of aluminum, plastic, ceramic, or glass.
Commonly-assigned US Patent Application Pub. No. 2010/0107525 provides a method of forming a VIG window where a plurality of glass bump spacers are integrally formed in a surface of one of the glass panes. The spacers are formed in the glass pane in a laser growth process.